My favourite book that I read in July - Leona

I have read a lot of amazing books in July but my favourite has to be Hate List by Jennifer Brown.

Paperback, 432 pages

Published October 5th 2010 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 

Goodreads Summary:

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Here's the book trailer:

I will post a review of Hate List in the next few days. I will also have an interview with the author, Jennifer Brown! 


What was your favourite book that you read in July?

Review: Rift by Andrea Cremer - Leona

Summary from the back of the book:

Ember has always known her life was not her own. That she owed a debt to the mysterious order of knights who saved her as a baby.

Despite their brutal training, serving the knights is all she has ever wanted. That was before she found love. But finding it and keeping it are very different things.

Little does she know what danger lies ahead. Neither Ember, nor her heart, will survive unscathed.

First line:

Ember brought her sword down without warning and her aim was true.

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series yet, so I wasn't sure of what to expect when starting Rift. I was instantly pulled into this wonderful story and Andrea Cremer had me in her grasp for the entire book. Andrea Cremer has a wonderful writing style that I instantly loved. She described everything in perfect detail and helped us to get a sense of the environment and a feel for the characters thoughts and feeling. In Rift we get a look at the back story to 

Ember is a strong female character that you can't help but connect with. She has a unique and irresistible attitude that is easily relatable. I stayed up way to late to read more of Embers story. It's near impossible to not love her.

The romance in this book is irresistible and I found myself feeling every single emotion that Ember was feeling.

There are several characters in this book that I loved and hated, and sometimes it was hard to decide if I liked them or not. Every character was well rounded and it made the book even more enjoyable. I adored every aspect of this book.

Saturday Snapshot (28th July) - Leona

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky below. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.

I would like to apologize for not posting a Saturday Snapshot for a few weeks!

Recently I was looking at photos on my camera and I found my pictures from my last trip to see my grandparents. Here are some of my favourite!

What do you think of my photos?

Do you have a Saturday Snapshot? Leave the link below so I can check it out!

Moonlight Mayhem Blog Tour: Trivia & Giveaway

“Which Spellbound Character Would YOU Most Likely Be?”

This giveaway is open internationally! So let’s tell the blogging world!

Hi everyone, I’m Sherry Soule—waving from Castro Valley, California, where it gets foggy even during the summer months. But even with the fog burning off by afternoon, I’m relaxing on the sofa and blabbering on Twitter about my life-long obsession with books. It’s a real honor to be a guest today as part of my epic tour this summer and meet all these awesome booklovers.

To celebrate the release of author, Sherry Soule’s newest paranormal novel, MOONLIGHT MAYHEM, the second book in the epic Spellbound Series, take this super fun quiz to see which character in the Spellbound universe you’d mostly be similar to, and score a Kindle or Nook version of the first book in this unforgettable YA series, Beautifully Broken!

 

Take this quiz and be sure to check the bottom of the post for the details regarding this random giveaway. 

 

1. What’s your favorite season?

1. Winter - Cloudy, Chilly, Rainy, Stormy
2. Fall - Windy, Misty, Foggy, Mild
3. Summer - Hot, Dry, No Wind, Sunny
4. Spring – Warm, Breezy, Greenery, Brisk

2. I detest using labels, but what would others call you at school?

1. Normal or Jock/ Cheerleader
2. Preppy/ Student Counsel
3. Amateur Fashionista
4. Girlish tomboy

3. Which of the following best describes your personality?

1. Stuck-up, Eccentric, Perky
2. Haughty, Moody, Smart
3. Tough, Snarky, Weird
4. Playful, Vivacious, Straightforward

4. Which genre do you read most often?

1. Urban Fantasy
2. Horror / Dark YA
3. Paranormal Romance
4. Young Adult

5. You are at school and witness a student bullying someone. What do you do?

1. Run in the opposite direction before they pick on you
2. Laugh and join in on the fun
3. Stop and tell the bully to knock it off or else!
4. Go tell a teacher what’s going on

6. What’s your hairstyle?

1. Short and sassy
2. Long and straight
3. Medium with highlights
4. Curly or wavy

7. What’s your typical breakfast?

1. Eggs and bacon
2. Oatmeal and orange juice
3. Coffee and a Pop tart
4. Heaping bowl of my fav cereal

8. What type of pet would you like to have or do you own?

1. Hamster
2. Small Dog
3. Shade
4. Cat

9. How often do you shop or hit the mall?

a) Only on sale days

b) Once or twice a month

c) Every week—duh

d) Hardly ever

If you answered...

Mostly a's: You and Kayla are a lot alike! You both love a good sale, and you’re energetic and sassy.

Mostly b's: Ashley and you could be sisters. You each enjoy autumn days, hanging at the mall, abut you can be a tad moody.

Mostly c's: Shiloh and you could be besties! You both love to shop for the newest trends, enjoy reading paranormal romance novels, and you even have a snarky-side.

Mostly d's: Sounds like you and Ariana have a lot in common. You each love to read YA books, adore cats, and can often be straightforward, but super fun.

MOONLIGHT MAYHEM Synopsis:

Otherworldly Creatures. Dazzling Magic. Fiery Romance.

Shiloh Ravenwolf thought she was getting used to the strange events in Whispering Pines, until the full moon brings another surge of supernatural threats to her coastal town. Ferocious wolves, deadly necromancers, and shambling zombies have descended upon the neighborhood, so Shiloh needs to gain control of her magical abilities—fast!

 

It sucks that she has a crippling fear of the dark, which for a demon hunter can be an epic problem.

When her classmates are attacked by a mysterious creature and her father is murdered, Shiloh vows vengeance. Forcing her phobias aside, she forms an unlikely coven of supernaturally gifted teens to help her eradicate this menace. Except that's not all Shiloh has to worry about. She’s battling a different monster within herself and struggling not to become the very thing she fights: evil.

But with demon blood inside her—anything can happen…

 

Moonlight Mayhem is the second novel in the unforgettably epic Spellbound series

Places you can cyberstalk Sherry Soule:

Official Blog: http://www.sherrysoule.blogspot.com

Official Spellbound Series Universe: http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com

Twitter @WriterSherry: http://twitter.com/writersherry

Awesome Book Trailers/YouTube: http://youtu.be/5uqVXKygvUs

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o44sW-gFtvA

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4925996.Sherry_Soule

Random winner will be picked on 18th AUGUST and be posted at the top of this quiz, please check back on that day to find out if you’re the lucky winner.

Giveaway details for a Kindle or Nook of BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:

1.) You must comment with your quiz results

2.) Be a follower of the Spellbound Series Universe Blog (link above)

3.) Be a follower of this blog

4.) Follow us all on Twitter - @WriterSherry @megs_mk @leonanaan_21

Good luck!

Review: Beautifully Broken by Sherry Soule - Megan

Synopsis from Goodreads

Thirteenth daughter. Heritage witch. Demon slayer.

They say every town has its secrets, but that doesn’t even begin to describe Whispering Pines. The townsfolk are a superstitious lot and the mystical disappearance of a local teen has everyone murmuring about a centuries old witch’s curse.

Sixteen-year-old Shiloh Ravenwolf is a heritage witch from the Broussard family, a family both destined and cursed. After she takes a summer job at Ravenhurst Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. That’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan. But Trent may be the next victim on the supernatural hit list, and Shiloh is the only person with the power to save him. Complicated much?

After receiving cryptic messages from a creepy wraith and frightening threats from a demon, Shiloh finally begins to understand the mysterious significance of the strange mark branded on her wrist. Now Shiloh must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to protect the other teenagers in town.

Unfortunately, for Shiloh, not all ghosts want help crossing over. Some want vengeance.

*A copy was provided by the author for review purposes*

With a thought provoking beginning that includes an unforseen encounter with a man masked in shadows, Beautifully Broken sets the stage for an intriguing book. Told from the perspective of 16-year-old Shiloh Ravenwolf, we experience the chilling events that originate from the tales of a curse placed upon the town of Whispering Pines. 

There is a distinct eerie atmosphere present throughout this book that lingers within the mystery Sherry Soule fuels into the imponderable plot. Twists and turns are constantly being thrown in our direction so you have no idea what's going to happen next. 

Let's skip to the romance, shall we? Trent Donovan is typical of most boys populating our planet today - undeniably gorgeous with an unappealing personality. You can't help but be sympathetic towards him though because of his broken past (a dead mother and a father who pretends you don't exist would definitely bruise the ego, right?).

His relationship with Shiloh was realistic due to its uncanny similarities with everyday teenage relationships. Their romance took a backseat to the main aspect of the plot but not extensively and it intertwined perfectly with Shiloh's task at hand. Lust was the fuel for their relationship for the majority of the book however, but once we reach the climax we can sense that they truely have fallen in love with each other.

Shiloh is strong and determined yet filled with fear to the brink of breaking down, but her growing powers gives her the added courage that pulls her through to the finishing line. Her tendency to quickly accept and forgive left me a little frustrated with her however. I mean, there are various deaths throughout the book but a few tears are shed and suddenly it's the next chapter with little reminiscences to follow. Despite this flaw, Sherry did a remarkable job of capturing the essence of a teenager's frame of mind.

The supporting characters made little appearances but they contributed to the plot accordingly rather than hang about like party decorations. Even with their lack of presence I appreciated what they individually brought to the story.

Darkness fills every crevice within the story that is wonderfully described once it releases itself onto the pages. My only problem is the grammatical mistakes that occasionally appear throughout the book but I could easily forgive this due to it's high quality. 

The chilling conclusion was impeccably done with loose strings neatly tied up and new ones cheekily left hanging. I wouldn't neccessarily call it a cliffhanger but the final words make you thirst for the next book.


Stop by tomorrow for the blog tour for book two in the Spellbound series MOONLIGHT MAYHEM and get a chance to win an ebook copy of BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN!